The philosophical maxim, “I think, therefore I am,”15 has been replaced with a digital motto, “I connect, therefore I am,”16 leading to a status desire: “I am ‘liked,’ therefore I am.”17 But our digital connections and ticks of approval are flickering pixels that cannot ground the meaning of our lives. And yet, I seek to satisfy this desire every time I cozy up to the Facebook barstool, to be where every friend knows my name, where my presence can be affirmed and reaffirmed at virtual points throughout the day. I want anything to break the silence that makes me feel the weight of my mortality.
